Patriots' Welker an active PUP

The feeling around here is that wide receiver Wes Welker will be back in uniform sooner rather than later.

“Knowing the type of guy he is,” Patriots running back Sammy Morris said, “I know he’s going to do what he can to get on the field as soon as possible.”

The Patriots opened training camp yesterday with Welker on the active/physically-unable-to-perform list as he continues his recovery from offseason surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

Wearing shorts, a cut-off red t-shirt and a brace on his left knee, Welker did some conditioning work on the side yesterday morning while his teammates participated in their first training camp practice.

Welker, who led the NFL with a team-record 123 receptions last season, has seemingly made great progress in coming back from the injury, which was suffered in the 2009 regular-season finale in Houston. He also tore his left medial collateral ligament.

Welker had surgery in February and just four months later, on June 2, participated in an organized team activity, performing agility drills and catching passes. Welker also had offseason surgery for a torn rotator cuff.

Players can come off the active/PUP list at any time during camp. Patriots coach Bill Belichick said yesterday that Welker’s injury status is “day-to-day.”

“He’s like everybody else who has had an ACL,” Belichick said. “It’s a long rehab. Players go through different stages of it. You work on things and improve on them and if there are no setbacks, then you go to the next level. If you hit a little sticking point, then you back off and wait until that clears up and move ahead. There’s a long way to go and we’ll see how that whole process takes place. I think the last 10 to 20 percent on those injuries is the hardest part to get back. We’ll see how it goes.”

Nothing official from the Patriots, but it appears defensive lineman Ron Brace of Burncoat High and Boston College and receivers Sam Aiken and Darnell Jenkins started camp on the active/PUP list.

All three players didn’t practice yesterday and spent the double sessions doing conditioning work on the sidelines. It’s not known whether they’re nicked up or failed to pass their team-administered physical and/or conditioning test.

Considering Aiken was a team captain last season and Brace looked to be in great shape at minicamp in June, it seems more likely that they’re hurt.

“We have, unfortunately, a few guys that aren’t quite ready yet, but they’re all in that day-to-day category,” Belichick said. “We’ll see how it goes on a day-to-day basis, but hopefully we’ll see them out here at some point here in training camp. We’ll just take it one step at a time.”

That would be a blow to the Patriots, who are woefully thin at outside linebacker as it is. Projected starter Tully Banta-Cain, journeyman Rob Ninkovich, special teamer Pierre Woods and rookie Jermaine Cunningham make up the less-than-overwhelming group at the moment.

It’s a situation that could lead to the return of Shawn Crable, who was released Tuesday after he failed his physical.

“Yes, I think if Shawn physically is healthy, then he would have a good chance to compete on the field, based on what we saw coming out of college and in limited opportunities we’ve seen to evaluate him in the last two years,” Belichick said. “But right now I just don’t think he’s there.”

Crable, drafted in the third round with the 78th overall pick in 2008, has never appeared in a regular-season game for the Patriots and spent most of his time on injured reserve.

It rained for a portion of the opening practice of camp for at least the second straight year. Not that the players minded.

“Looks like a nice cool day today; the players’ prayers were answered,” Belichick said. “Hopefully we’ll get some heat going forward.”

Belichick might have to wait a few days on that. Although there is plenty of sunshine forecast for the next week, temperatures are expected to remain seasonably pleasant.

The Patriots will practice today, tomorrow and Sunday from 9:30 to 11:15 a.m. and 3:45 to 5:30 p.m. All sessions are open to the public.

Quarterback Tom Brady is expected to address the media today. … Brady provided the highlight of the morning session when he hooked up with Randy Moss for a 40-yard-plus completion at the apparent expense of safety James Sanders. … The Patriots will continue hosting an NFL Punt, Pass & Kick regional competition from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and tomorrow at the west clubhouse parking lots next to Gillette Stadium. Boys and girls ages 6 to 15 are eligible to participate.

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